GSBS Student Publications
Title
A chromatin landmark and transcription initiation at most promoters in human cells
GSBS Program
Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology
Publication Date
2007-07-17
UMMS Affiliation
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Document Type
Article
Disciplines
Life Sciences | Medicine and Health Sciences
Abstract
We describe the results of a genome-wide analysis of human cells that suggests that most protein-coding genes, including most genes thought to be transcriptionally inactive, experience transcription initiation. We found that nucleosomes with H3K4me3 and H3K9,14Ac modifications, together with RNA polymerase II, occupy the promoters of most protein-coding genes in human embryonic stem cells. Only a subset of these genes produce detectable full-length transcripts and are occupied by nucleosomes with H3K36me3 modifications, a hallmark of elongation. The other genes experience transcription initiation but show no evidence of elongation, suggesting that they are predominantly regulated at postinitiation steps. Genes encoding most developmental regulators fall into this group. Our results also identify a class of genes that are excluded from experiencing transcription initiation, at which mechanisms that prevent initiation must predominate. These observations extend to differentiated cells, suggesting that transcription initiation at most genes is a general phenomenon in human cells.
DOI of Published Version
10.1016/j.cell.2007.05.042
Source
Cell. 2007 Jul 13;130(1):77-88. Link to article on publisher's site
Journal/Book/Conference Title
Cell
Related Resources
PubMed ID
17632057
Repository Citation
Guenther, Matthew G.; Levine, Stuart S.; Boyer, Laurie A.; Jaenisch, Rudolf; and Young, Richard A., "A chromatin landmark and transcription initiation at most promoters in human cells" (2007). GSBS Student Publications. 423.
https://escholarship.umassmed.edu/gsbs_sp/423